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I hate to say this—really, I do—but I think I might officially have a least favorite episode of Faking It. That’s not to say that this week’s romp through teenage hormones was bad; it just wasn’t quite Faking It good, either. A lot of that hinges on the premise—that a busload of megahot Brazilian babes crash Hester High’s campus after a disaster forces them out of their own school. Hormones and hilarity ensue.

Shane and Karma see the Brazilian blowout as an opportunity to help their friends move on … both from Karma. Karma wants to find Amy a hot lesbian GF, and Shane just wants Liam to knock out his first post-Karma hookup so he can stop moping and being so weird (my words, not Shane’s).

The idea that Amy and Liam both need to move on is solid (they do), but the Brazilians just bog everything down and don’t work for the story for a number of reasons:

1. None of them can speak English, so they’re literally just eye candy (even Amy’s hookup, who is by far the most developed character in that set, only musters a “We kiss now?” late in the episode). Yeah, I know that’s kind of the point (Shane won’t let us forget it, as he does things like lather up hot Brazilian men with suntan lotion on the quad).

2. Amy isn’t going to really move on with any of these Brazilian girls. Unlike Shane’s quest to help Liam (in which the endgame is a hookup), Karma is trying to help Amy find a girlfriend so she can move on emotionally, not just physically. It’s hard to even root for her poor Brazilian make-out buddy when you know she’s never going to really matter.

3. Every storyline would have been better served with a real Hester High hottie in place. Amy opens up to her non-English-speaking new friend, but it would have meant so much more to see her make that confession to Oliver or even Shane or Lauren. Shane throws women at Liam, but they’re all about to leave Texas, so there’s nothing really at stake even if he started to fall for one. The most successful new dynamic in the episode is between Lauren and New Kid Theo—and it’s because we’re seeing the beginning of something that will play out over the course of the season, not an isolated incident.

Actually, the only moment that topped Lauren and Theo’s blossoming flirtation happened at the very end of the episode (as most of the best Faking It moments do): Liam confessed to hooking up with Amy. He didn’t tell Karma, but he did tell Shane, so it’s only a matter of time before things blow up (next week, actually, if the previews are to be believed).

This is SO important for the show. Amy and Karma have kissed and made up (figuratively speaking), and they’re doing outstandingly well for a pair of lifelong BFFs dealing with one-sided romantic love. Karma is being supportive and sweet (even if she is trying too hard sometimes, and really pushing Amy to move on faster than might be possible), and Amy has done remarkably well at burying any guilt she feels over the Liam Incident (am I the only one who feels like it’s weird how little remorse she’s seemed to feel about that?).

Liam is not fairing as well—the guilt is killing him and he’s about to drop his guilt bomb. The fallout could be too much for even the Karmy Army to withstand (at least at first; I can’t see a Faking It future where Amy and Karma are forever not BFFs). This is the kind of drama that drives Faking It forward and, even though the Brazilians were nice to look at, Liam’s loose lips are what have me dying to see next week’s episode.

What did you think of the Brazilians? Were you as meh about them as I was? Do you think Liam will really tell Karma about himself and Amy next week? Sound off in the comments!

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons